University of North Carolina Athletics
Tolleson Honored As All-America
May 24, 2002 | Softball
May 24, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--Following an outstanding softball season for the University of North Carolina, junior outfielder Tiffany Tolleson has earned All-America honors. Tolleson, who is from Winter Haven, Fla., was named to the 18-member Division I second team, as announced by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. The first, second and third teams comprise a total of 55 players.
"Tiffany had a record-breaking season for us," UNC coach Donna Papa said. "When you do something like that, awards like this come with the territory. She's very deserving of this honor, and I'm excited for her and for our program."
Tolleson is just the fifth UNC softball player to earn All-America honors. The Tar Heels previously have had two first-team selections (Christine Kubin in 1996 and Brandy Arthur in 1998) and two third-team picks (Theresa Buscemi in 1992 and Kelly Ramsey in 2000).
Tolleson is one of four Atlantic Coast Conference players to earn All-America honors for 2002. Florida State's Brandi Stewart was named to the first team at second base, and Virginia's Kristen Dennis joined Tolleson on the second team as a utility player. Georgia Tech's Tara Knudsen was named to the third team at shortstop.
In her first year at North Carolina after transferring from Stetson University, Tolleson broke school single-season records for hits, runs, at-bats and stolen bases. She led the nation in stolen bases per game through most of the season and finished second on the list. She earned All-ACC honors and has been invited to try out for the U.S. National Team at the USA Softball World Championships selection camp, will be held in Chula Vista, Calif., May 30-June 3.
UNC finished the 2002 season with a record of 34-30, reaching the ACC title game for the second season in a row before falling to Georgia Tech. Tolleson was the team's starter in centerfield and led the Tar Heels with a .411 batting average, the fourth-best single-season average in school history.
2002 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I All-America selections
First team: Jennie Finch, pitcher, Arizona; Keira Goerl, pitcher, UCLA; Jamie Southern, pitcher, Fresno State; Stacey Nuveman, catcher, UCLA; Leneah Manuma, first base, Arizona; Brandi Stewart, second base, Florida State; Lindsay Wood, third base, Northern Iowa; Natasha Watley, shortstop, UCLA; Oli Keohohou, outfield, Brigham Young; Jessica Mendoza, outfield, Stanford; Anna Smith, outfield, Ohio State; Ashley Courtney, designated player, Alabama; Gina Oaks, utility, Cal State Fullerton; Jaime Clark, at-large, Washington; Amanda Freed, at-large, UCLA; Britni Sneed, at-large, LSU; Jenny Topping, at-large, Cal State Fullerton; Phelan Wright, at-large, Arizona State
Second team: Lindsay Chouinard, pitcher, DePaul; Nikki Myers, pitcher, Florida Atlantic; Cat Osterman, pitcher, Texas; Kristen Rivera, catcher, Washington; Jackie McClain, first base, Alabama; Liz Bouck, second base, DePaul; Stefanie Volpe, third base, Michigan; Cara Blumfield, shortstop, Boston College; Nicole Barber, outfield, Georgia; Trena Peel, outfield, LSU; Tiffany Tolleson, outfield, North Carolina; Geney Orris, designated player, UNLV; Kristen Dennis, utility, Virginia; Wendy Allen, at-large, Ohio State; Sarah Beeson, at-large, Stanford; Jocelyn Forest, at-large, California; Becky McMurtry, at-large, Louisiana-Lafayette; Kellie Wilkerson, at-large, Mississippi State
Third team: Cindy Ball, pitcher, Pacific; Jennifer Hadley, pitcher, Massachusetts; Marissa Young, pitcher, Michigan; Stacy Roth, catcher, Ohio State; Kim Wendland, first base, Georgia; Jennifer Link, second base, Ohio State; Andrea Loman, third base, Notre Dame; Tara Knudsen, shortstop, Georgia Tech; Yasmin Mossadeghi, outfield, Cal State Fullerton; Christi Musser, outfield, Kansas; Kim Ogee, outfield, Nebraska; Claire Sua, designated player, UCLA; Christina Enea, utility, Oklahoma; Selena Collins, at-large, Texas A&M; Candace Harper, at-large, California; Kristin Johnson, at-large, Iowa; Edel Leyden, at-large, Illinois-Chicago; Jarrah Myers, at-large, Notre Dame; Nichole Thompson, at-large, Arizona State
